


Beneath Three Layers

by Altanimegf



Category: One Piece
Genre: Angst, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Canon Divergence, Eventual Smut, Falling In Love, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gay Panic, Hurt and comfort, LawLu - Freeform, Lemon, M/M, My First Fanfic, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pining, Slow Burn, Violence, Work In Progress, Yaoi, alcohol use, like it diverts entirely like right away, peep my sisters dumb commentary in the notes, post-marinefold arc, slow burnt to perfection
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-31
Updated: 2021-03-10
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:13:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 18,788
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28456635
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Altanimegf/pseuds/Altanimegf
Summary: After Law saved Luffy from the battlegrounds at Marinefold, he never expected Luffy to turn his world upside down.  What happens when two pirates fall in love in a universe that swears to keep them apart?A One Piece Lawlu fanfic
Relationships: Monkey D. Luffy/Trafalgar D. Water Law
Comments: 31
Kudos: 126





	1. He Awakens

A week has passed since the great war at Marinefold took place. In the spur of the moment, Law salvaged Luffy's broken body off the battlegrounds and fought vigorously to save his life. He wasn't quite sure what drove him to make such a selfless sacrifice. Maybe it was the satisfaction of knowing he can heal a body while it can barely hold onto life. Perhaps he was feeling sympathetic for the boy's recent loss. He entertained the thought that maybe it was because he simply liked having such a worthy competitor in the New World. None of those explanations felt right though. From the moment he saw Luffy punch out that celestial dragon back on Sabaody, Law knew he was different from the other pirates in his generation. Law liked different.

He tried to not clutter his mind thinking about such nonsense. His intentions don't matter when the deed has already been done. He has spent this past week performing a handful of surgeries on the young pirate, reconstructing his organs and crafting healed bones for Luffy to use when he awakens. He was quite impressed with his job well done. Now that the operations are over and the Straw Hat pirate has stabilized, Law still finds himself occupying the chair that sits next to Luffy's bedside for the majority of the day. He finds this spot to be convenient, he can read his book in peace without disruption, ensure Luffy doesn't bleed through his bandages, and also keep an eye on his vitals.

It was a particularly tranquil morning, rain hitting the exterior of the ship infiltrates the room and the smell of sea salt filled the air. Law was in his usual chair in the medical ward next to Luffy, eyes sunken after another night of restless sleep. He attempts to read the book in his hand, but his heavy eyelids can barely make out the words on the page. He decides to place the book on a nearby desk and slouch down into his chair to rest. His body begs for sleep.

"Wh-where am I?" A frail voice that's too weak to speak louder than a whisper rises from the gurney.

Law quickly sits up straight and directs his gaze towards Luffy. "You're on the Polar Tang, it's my ship." He speaks quietly, "You're safe here." He pushes his feet onto the ground to move his rolling chair closer to the edge of Luffy's bed. He unwraps the stethoscope from his neck and places it onto Luffy's chest, carefully listening to the sound of his lungs, heart, and abdomen.

"Oh." Luffy attempts to sit up a little, but winced in pain at the movement. He's quickly consumed with a sense of pain and despair, but the drugs flowing through his body blurs any memories that attempt to surface that would give an explanation to his feelings. "Where's Ace?" He questioned.

Laws face sinks into a frown at the question, the words sent a feeling of anguish straight to his heart. "He's... not here."

Luffy lays still under the blankets, "Oh." He murmurs mutely, as if using any sort of volume would make his vocal chords collapse. The normally high-spirited, optimistic, smile bearing boy is just a distant memory when compared to the person he is now. If he had any energy at all, he'd be worried as to why he was consumed with such a heavy depression, but for now he couldn't care less. He settles his head into a comfortable spot on his pillow and falls back asleep.

The melancholy in the room was so thick it could suffocate. Law let out a heavy sigh and fought the urge to gently pat Luffy's tangled, black hair. Instead, he decides to lower the dosages of medication that swim in the IV bag attached to Luffy's arm. He's already dealing with a profound loss, he doesn't need drugs to blur the reality he'll have to face again.

***

Hours have passed since the interaction between Law and Luffy earlier this morning. The evening sky was unusually dark, filled with storm clouds that pour rain. Law sits at his desk, eating his dinner while studying today's newspaper. As his hand extends towards his dish for another bite of grilled octopus, he noticed a shuffling in the bed. "Are you awake?" He asked, not sure if he'll get a reply.

Luffy pushes up on his hands and manages to sit himself up, he rubs his eyes and looks around the room for the source of the voice. He has a glimmer of comfort once his eyes lay on a familiar face. "Yeah."

"How do you feel?" He sets down his chopsticks and stands up to walk over to Luffy's bed side.

"Alright, I guess." Luffy's voice trails off, his gaze falls down to his arms, where he inspects his body that's almost completely wrapped in fresh bandage. Memories of what happened before he made it into Law's care flooded his mind, accompanied by an overwhelming sense of loneliness. His eyes begin to burn as tears threaten to swell up while he begins to process his loss, he quickly blinks them away. "Thank you for taking care of me, and saving my life. " his voice is low and shaky.

Law hesitates for a second, gathering the fact that Luffy now remembers what happened. "You don't need to thank me, it was on a whim." He sits at the foot of the bed, contemplating how he can help. He can think of a dozen different ways he could fix the Straw Hat's physical pain, but emotional distress is a complication he is far from mastering. The two boys sit in silence for a long while, both unsure of what to do from here.

Finally, Luffy breaks the silence "I'm glad you're here." The statement made Law feel taken aback. "I'm happy to have a nakama with me right now."

Law was truly puzzled by the remark. He never really considered that Luffy thought anything positive about him. Hell... he doesn't even think most of his own crewmates consider him as a friend. He's so used to being written off as cold and cruel so it befuddles him having someone treat him as anything but. He couldn't even think of a proper response. "Jus- just let me know if I can do anything for you." The tone of his voice filled with slightly uncomfortability.

While letting out a burdened sigh, Luffy replies "could you maybe turn off the light? I wanna go back to sleep".

Law forces a small smile onto his face before he stands up from the bed to grab his dinner and walk towards the door, turning off the lights on his way out. He closes the door behind him and drags himself to his room to finish his dinner and attempts to get some sleep himself.

***

It was now well past nightfall, the rainstorm has now transformed into heavy gusts of wind that rocks the ship, the bright moon is exposed between thick clouds. Luffy awakens in a pant from a disturbing nightmare of the war. He quickly sits up and rubs his sweaty face into his hands as he tries to fight off the depression that's rapidly swarming him. All he can think about is how he failed to protect his brother, the thought is driving him crazy. He decides that going out into the fresh, salty air to cool off might help him calm down. Dropping his hands beside his hips on the bed, he rotates himself so his legs now dangle to the ground. He's not exactly sure how long it's been since he was last on his feet, but he's sure he's going to hurt like hell. He hoists himself up and stabilizes himself, confirming the fact that every bone in his body aches with agony. But he pushes through the pain and begins to walk to find the Polar Tangs deck, stumbling and whispering curses at his pain along the way.

After a few wrong turns, he finally found the familiar sea, along with the deck free from any Heart pirates. He manages to walk over to the railing of the submarine before collapsing under the weight of his pain. He's not entirely sure if said pain was physical or emotional, but they both kinda feel the same anyway. With great effort, he pushes himself up so his back is against the wall and pulls his bandaged knees close to his chest, hugging them tightly. He can't stall his grieving anymore, and his anxiety worsens as he thinks about all the time he's wasting being broken down in a gurney while he should be out there training and getting stronger. Strong enough so he'll never be defeated again. Strong enough so he'll never fail to protect his loved ones again. Strong enough to never lose anyone ever again. His chest becomes heavy and his body trembles as these thoughts attack him. Tears start flooding his eyes and pour down his cheeks, the strong wind pushing through his hair makes tiny, black strands stick to the salty tears. He can't stand knowing how weak he is right now, he despises the sound of his sobs. He drops his head into his knees and covers his ears as he cries harder, attempting to focus on the sounds of the howling wind and violent waves against the ship's metal walls instead of his own pathetic cries.

Just as Luffy takes a deep inhale between his weeps, he feels a delicate hand caress his head, the unexpected touch makes him lose his breath. He quickly wipes his tears and looks up to see Law's sleepy, concerned face looking back. He takes a moment to gather himself and swallow the sobs that sit at the back of his throat "W-what are y-you doing awake?" His voice breaks.

The fact that Luffy shows concern for others while he himself is in the middle of a mental breakdown astonished Law. He admits "I have trouble sleeping most nights." He sits down next to Luffy, close enough for their shoulders to touch. Luffy struggles to keep his composure and fights to not shed tears while around Law, not wanting to look any weaker than he already appears. He hugs his knees even tighter as his shoulders jerk from holding in his cries. Law notices this, and feels responsible to do something to relieve some of his turmoil. He took on the task of healing Luffy, so he concludes that he needs to help him emotionally as well. Law extends his arm and awkwardly wraps it around Luffy's waist in an effort to comfort him. "You can cry if you want to, it's alright." His voice is eerily soothing. "Or we can sit here until you're ready to move on. Either way, I'm not going to leave you here alone."

Luffy couldn't help but to break down again, the warmth of Law's touch sent him spiraling into missing his friends and brother with desperation. The closeness between Law and Luffy makes the young boy long for the people he can no longer hug. He leans his body against Law's side, as Law gently rubs Luffy's arm. Luffy's emotions start to become less heavy, and eventually his cries soften to a deep sigh. Law feels uncomfortable in this very unfamiliar situation, the concept of sharing vulnerability like this is completely foreign to him. Although, he feels happy knowing he's able to help. He allows himself to enjoy this moment, he can't even remember the last time he held someone like this. Law closes his eyes and rests his head against Luffy's. His tiredness got the best of him, and he quickly drifted off to sleep, where he got his first few hours of genuinely restful sleep in weeks. He wakes up to the early morning sun rising over the blue sea, Luffy still asleep on his shoulder. He's instinctually filled with a sudden sense of embarrassment thinking that one of his crewmates might have seen, but dismisses the thought once he realizes it's still too early for the crew to be awake. He carefully stands up and picks up Luffy's sleeping body and brings him back to his gurney in the medical ward. Laws cheeks slightly blushing while he thinks about the closeness he just shared with the rubber boy. He also starts to question why he didn't use his devil fruit to teleport Luffy and himself back to the medical ward. But to be honest, he didn't exactly hate having Luffy's body pressed against him. Law lays Luffy down gently in his bed and tucks him in, placing a hand on the boy's warm face briefly before slumping into his usual chair, and dozes back to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 1 song suggestion: Someone to Stay - Vancouver Sleep Clinic  
> https://youtu.be/xNVZ4fzkSu8
> 
> I've been writing this story in my head since the beginning of 2020, so I'm super pumped to finally be publishing it and sharing it with the world! Its the first fanfic I've *ever* wrote, so it holds a special place in my heart. I hope you love it too! Each chapter will have a corresponding song to set the mood of the chapter, listen to it before/during/or after you read, whatever you prefer :). Each chapter will also include a small stupid comment from my sister, a.k.a my beta reader! Everyone give her a round of applause. Thanks for reading!!!
> 
> *Sisters dumb commentary:* Law took one look at Luffy and said "Excuse me sir that's my emotional support Straw Hat pirate


	2. Pacified

Luffy wakes up in a sweat, panting heavily and wide eyes full of tears. He had the same nightmare about his brother again that he has had every night since gaining consciousness. He rubs the tears from his eyes and rolls over onto his side, hugging himself in fetal position in an attempt to sooth his distress. He lets out a small exasperated sigh as the feeling of loneliness engulfs him yet again. Luffy is a social creature, he's not used to spending most of his time without the company of his many friends. He's certainly not used to dealing with these gloomy emotions alone. He misses how Brook used to sing him a song, and how Sanji would cook up some yummy meat, when Chopper would climb into his lap and give him the biggest hug his tiny reindeer arms could create, and Zoro giving him the pep talk he needed to snap out of his dismal mood. He never realized how few coping mechanisms he has for dealing with depression... so he decides to pick the coping skill that always works best: eating his feelings. He gets out of his bed and heads for the kitchen. 

The morning sun was still on the blue horizon, the sky colored with black, purple, and deep red. He substituted a shirt with wrapping himself in his white blanket. It was still too early for the cook to be awake and preparing breakfast, but Luffy assumed he'd be able to scrape up something for himself while he waits. He trails off to the kitchen and prepares himself a huge plate of fruit. Satisfied with his successful hunt for comfort food, he shoves a whole tangerine into his mouth and walks out to the deck so he could enjoy the warm sun and peaceful sound of crashing waves while he eats. 

Luffy walks onto the deck to see Law shirtless, quickly doing a series of sit-ups, grunting slightly every time he thrusts his body forwards. Luffy stares for a long moment, admiring the way his tattoos define his muscles in the light. He has a passing thought that maybe he should get a tattoo. Like maybe a giant badass dragon, that would be so awesome. He imagines Law's eyes sparkling in awe when he sees it for the first time. The daydream gives him a small sense of giddy. "Why are you training right now?" He blurted towards Law as he walks towards the Heart captain before placing another piece of fruit between his teeth. 

Law looks over towards Luffy and smiles, happy to see him up and moving and back to his old eating patterns. "I couldn't sleep." It's apparent he hasn't slept, the dark circles under his eyes are especially prominent. 

"Do you have insomnia or something?" Luffy questions as he rubs his eyes and goes to sit next to the older boy, crossing his legs with his plate of food in the middle. 

"I didn't know you knew what insomnia was." Law joked. "But yeah, something like that. Why are you up?" Watching as Luffy consumes an impressive amount of food. 

Luffy swallows and looks down towards the ground, his eyes a little darker than before "I had a bad dream." 

The smile on Law's face drops. He reaches for his signature yellow and black hoodie from the ground and dresses himself with it, and sits with his back against the wall with his long legs slightly bent in front of him. Law knows very well what it's like to cope with nightmares, having dealt with recurring ones himself. "I'm sorry. Can I do anything to help?" 

Luffy sets down his now empty plate beside him, and pulls his knees up towards his chest, cocooning himself in his blanket "I dunno." He gently murmured. He's not entirely sure of what exactly he needs anymore. His brother is gone, he can't see his friends, fuck even the food was only a temporary relief. The only thing he could think of that has brought him the slightest bit of joy since Marinefold was that hug Law gave him a few nights ago. Maybe that would help. 

Luffy unwraps himself from his blanket and crawls onto Law, occupying the space between his legs. He places his face onto Law's shoulder, his hands dangle loosely on the older boys sides. The sudden contact made Law freeze for a second with shock. This is the first time someone has continuously sought him out for comfort, and he assumed Luffy was just as embarrassed about their first hug as he was. Evidently not. After the shock settled, Law cautiously wrapped one arm around the boy's shoulder, while placing his other hand onto his head, intertwining his fingers with Luffy's black hair. He can feel his cheeks fill with blood, and is thankful that Luffy's face is buried in his shoulder so he couldn't see how deeply he's blushing right now. He has a brief moment of insecurity, hoping the smell of the sea masks the smell of his post-workout sweat. 

He does smell like sweat, but Luffy doesn't mind it. He takes in deep inhales and finds the smell to be relaxing. He enjoys everything about this moment, the smell, the warmth of the sun shining against his back, Laws hand tenderly rubbing his shoulders, the rise and fall of Laws chest as he breathes, the feeling of closeness, the brief break from all the bad he's been hoarding. He wants to live in this feeling, to create a small home in his arms and consider it a safe haven from the vicious reality he's been placed in. 

Although he's finding it hard to admit to himself, Law savors this moment too. It pacifies him knowing someone can find solace in him like this. Luffy has always been different, and treats Law differently than anyone else has. Not to mention the fact that they're supposed to be rivals, but yet here they are... cuddling. Law, a man who once took great effort to ensure his cherished personal bubble was never to be punctured, is now cuddling with a fucking chaotic rubber man. If the feathery feeling in his body wasn't so light and pleasant, he'd be cursing himself for letting his guard down. But he's already this far gone, there's no turning back now. "Do you want to take a nap before breakfast?" He holds his breath waiting for a reply.

Luffy rubbed his face into the older boy's chest and placed his hands onto his shoulders, the sound of a nap sounds absolutely delightful right now. "Sure." He muffles into Law's shirt. 

A transparent blue aura forms around the two, in a husky tone, Law speaks "Room."

Suddenly, they were in a part of the ship unfamiliar to Luffy. It was small, fashioned with a desk filled with books, a black chair, and a long, soft bed in which the two boys were sitting on, maintaining the same position they were in while on the deck. "Is this your room?" 

Law starts to lean back onto the bed and drags the smaller boy down with him, not answering his question. Luffy complies with the changing of positions and stretches his legs behind him, intertwining them between Laws. The young boy lays on top of the other, pressing their chests together and rests his head on Law's shoulder again. Law settles into his pillow and his eyelids instantly become heavy. He concludes that there's something about Luffy that works as a perfect remedy for his insomnia. He thinks to himself that he might be able to get used to Luffy's dire need for physical contact. Having one designated person in his personal space doesn't sound like it was the worst thing ever.... hugs have lots of physiological benefits anyway. His thoughts become dazed as he drifts off to sleep. 

*** 

The two wake to a loud pounding of the door and Penguin screaming "Breakfast is almost over, Law! Wake up!", followed by the sound of footsteps fading in the distance. 

Law stretches his arms above his head, before planting them onto Luffy's back again, he looks down at the boy, who's peering up at him with a small, sleepy, smile. The sight makes a smile dance across Law's face "Good morning." He says with a yawn. 

Luffy nuzzles his face into Law's shoulder before sitting up and rolling his neck. "You almost made me miss breakfast, I would have never forgave you." His voice is lighthearted, but deep down Law knew he was probably telling the truth. That man takes his food VERY seriously. 

"Well it's a good thing we have such a reliable alarm clock." Law opens his door, and glances down the hallway on either side to ensure no one was around to ask questions regarding why the Straw Hat pirate was in his room. Once he confirmed it was clear, the two of them walk out side by side and head to the kitchen to fill their stomachs after a very satisfying nap together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 2 song suggestion: Everlong - Foofighters  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crOZk88eCcg
> 
> *Sisters dumb commentary*: Luffy really saw Laws lap and said "it's free real estate"  
> ...bruh


	3. Strike Fight

It's a gorgeous day floating on the Grand Line. The sun is high and the air is warm, begging for the crew to enjoy it. The pirates are spread all over the ship, filling the air with laughter as they pour their cups with cold beer to cool themselves in the afternoon heat. Luffy is enjoying lunch near the front of the ship while socializing with a few of the Hearts, laugher continually emerging from his shining face. He flutters with happiness as he jokes and shares stories, content with how quickly he was able to return back to his typical upbeat self. It almost feels normal again, despite his torso still being wrapped in bandages under his red vest and his friends not being here. 

Law is resting on the other side of the deck, propped against the furry Bepo, dressed in his usual jeans and an open black button up shirt, exposing his tattooed chest. His eyes remain closed, but he's very much awake and can't help but to focus on Luffy's voice. The surgeon is satisfied to see how rapidly the boy has healed, the typical person would have been bedridden for another month easily... but Luffy is far from typical. He expects nothing less from such an ambitious man. However, there's something tugging at him that leaves him feeling less than gruntled. Luffy hasn't been turning to Law for the comfort that he once did. Now that the boy is making friends and is free to roam on his own without the need for supervision, Luffy doesn't have much need for him anymore. He found new ways to fill the voids in his life, and as glad as he is that he could recover from all his turmoil, there was a silver lining to it all. Law didn't mind the succor Luffy would seek from him. As it appears, he _misses_ it. He misses sleeping with him, and even misses the hugs. He silently sulks to himself about this while contemplating why he would feel like this. He should be overjoyed to see his patient doing so well. And it's not like he was the one who needed the comfort, so why does he miss it? He questions if he has a savior complex. Perhaps that would explain why he's feeling rejected now that Luffy no longer needs him. Why does this boy cause him so much internalized struggle? Why has he been spending so much time analyzing his feelings since he saved him from Marinefold? What the fuck is wrong with this situation? 

Law furrows his eyebrows as he thinks to himself. This is entirely too irritating. He doesn't want to indulge these thoughts and feelings anymore and decides he needs a good distraction. "Oy, Shachi." He calls out to the pirate sitting nearby, catching his attention. "Wanna strike fight?" He questions. 

Shachi smiles and agrees "Yeah I guess it's been awhile since you've made me your bitch" he laughs out, and chugs the remaining beer in his cup before tossing it to the floor and standing up. Law follows his lead as they make their way to the open center of the deck and stand a couple yards away, facing each other. 

The crew instantly recognizes what's happening and forms a wide circle around the two, topping off their drinks as they ready themselves for the afternoon's entertainment. Luffy joins the circle as well, despite being confused on what's happening. The crowd begins to grow rowdy as the excitement of a fight takes over them. 

They collectively count down from 3, and the two men throw their bodies towards each other, Law successfully knocking the other off his feet. Shachi tumbles back, and Law takes the opportunity to grab him by his shirt and tosses him violently towards the interior wall of the submarine, he crashes to the ground with a flop. The Hearts bellow out a loud cheer. Law jumps towards Shachi, a hand raised in the arm as he flies towards him. Shachi rolls out of the way just in time, attempting to trip Law as he lands but misses entirely. Law rolls his eyes at the pathetic attempt, and grabs him by the shirt, pulling his face close to his. "Okay okay! You win, this wasn't even a competition you don't have to-" his sentence was cut off by the crisp sound of force against Shachi's face. The game ends with Law slapping Shachi straight to hell and back, remaining his title of being unbeatable. A bright red hand print quickly surfaces as Law drops him to the ground, he sheepishly crawls off to sit in the circle while holding his face. The crowd lets out a roar of cheers and laughter. Luffy's eyes twinkle with excitement as he shouts out "Let me fight next!!" 

Law turns around to see Luffy waving his hand and smiling wide, he laughs and firmly denies his request, "No way, you still need to rest." 

This answer was unacceptable, "Shut up no I don't, I'm fine!" The young boy protests, prompting Law to shake his head. "It'll be an easy fight. I won't even need to use any strength!" He begs. 

Law raises an eyebrow at him, knowing very well the boy is tapping into his competitive side. He waits a moment before answering, "Fine. But you better put up a better fight than Shachi did." 

Luffy let's out a satisfied "Yahoo!", before jumping and running to the spot he saw Shachi standing in, he raises two fists in front of him towards Law, a determined smile plastered over his face. 

Law's stomach flips at the sight of Luffy smiling at him, the feelings he was fighting with before evaporate as he decides that _this_ is the Luffy that he wants to see. He dissolves the thought immediately to get his head in the game. "The rules of the game are simple. No weapons, no powers, and the goal is to land a firm smack on the other person's face before they hit you. Everything else is fair game." He explains. "Got it?" Luffy nods and firmly plants his yellow brimmed hat into his head. The two stand in position, waiting for the crew to count down the fight. 

"3! 2! 1! FIGHT!" The crew shouts in unison. The fight begins, and Luffy instantly charges at Law, which he strategically dodged by jumping over him. Luffy steadies himself and looks up to see the other captain declining from the sky and getting ready to land a slapper on him. Luffy hand-springs backwards and lands on his feet, a hand stabilizing him to the ground before the surgeon lunges towards him and pushes him to the ground. The impact of the fall made Luffy wince with pain, but quickly recovers thanks to his adrenaline. Law has a moment of guilt, knowing that Straw Hat still isn't in full health yet. The thought is brushed off when Luffy stands back up with resolve smeared all over his face. Law can't help but be impressed by his tenacity. 

Luffy quickly conspires a way to win, knowing he's not capable of utilizing his full strength, he grabs a nearby empty wooden box piled up at the front of the ship and yeets it in the doctors direction, the box breaks and shatters over him. The crowd emits a loud gasp. Law emerges from the rubble with intensity only to see Luffy is no longer where he was, he turns around to see the boy running towards him, a hand pulled behind his head and primed with a fresh slap with his name on it. Law freezes and waits until the last second to leg sweep Luffy into the ground, he goes to raise a hand but feels a tug on his wrist. Somewhere in the chaos, Luffy managed to slip a noose made of thick rope around his arm. The smile on the young boy's face grows even wider, satisfied with his successful ploy. The Straw Hat pirate sits up on his knees and pulls the rope, prompting Law to stumble forwards so he's now standing directly over him. The older boy sees his opportunity to smack the other and rapidly swings his free hand, only for Luffy to block it with his arm. "You're so close, yet so far Torao." He mocks, triggering Law's competitive instincts into overdrive. 

Law grabs the hair on top of Luffy's heads and pulls back, forcing the boy to look up at him. His big obsidian eyes are filled with exhilaration, lips pressed together in a cunning smile. Law's mind shifts gears while looking down on him and an interfering thought takes the foreground: 

_"Fuck he looks pretty on his knees."_

The invasive thought took him by surprise, making him step back and loosen his grip enough for Luffy to tackle him to the ground. They both scramble to gain the upper position, but Law quickly climbs on top of the young captain and pins his hips to the ground with his own, holding both of Luffy's wrist on the ground over his head "Is that all you got, Straw Hat-ya?" He pulls Luffy's hands together, holding both his wrists with one hand, while reeling his free arm all the way back. The crew cheers with anticipation of hearing that crisp smack ringing in their ears. The christening of another failed attempt to dethrone their captain. Law swings his arm towards luffys face with full force, Luffy closes his eyes tight, bracing for the pain. 

Right as his hand is ready for impact on his face, he stops, and gently pats him in lieu of the typical brutal soul crushing slap that ends the game. The cheers from the Heart pirates quickly transform to booings "Fuck you Law!! Don't show him mercy!" "Come on! Finish him off like the rest of us!" 

Luffy looks up towards Law with a blank expression, contemplating why he didn't hit him. _"Does that mean I didn't lose yet? The game can't be over yet if the crowd isn't satisfied."_ Luffy quickly shuffles his hips, making Law lose his seating and fall onto the floor behind him. Luffy gets onto his knees and swiftly pulls his arm back and slaps law across the face. The crowd gasps, unsure of what to make of this rapid change of dominance. The surgeon stares up at him with a confused look, holding one hand to his cheek. Luffy rises to his feet and bends over so he's face to face with Law, their lips inches away from each other. Laws heart skips a beat, emotions totally boggled. Luffy declares with bold credence "Don't you ever show me mercy. You're looking at the future pirate king, motherfucker." He finishes his sentence with a bright smile. The crowd goes ballistic with excitement and cheer, raising their cups in the air as commemoration of the fallen victor. 

Law turns around to look at his crew celebrating, then turns back to see Luffy standing with his fists in the air and chest puffed out, absorbing the crowd's wild energy. He wanted to protest, _clearly_ he won, but it wasn't worth spoiling the mood. Instead, he lets out a little sigh and stands up to go find the largest cup of booze he can. 

____

Law walks inside the submarine walls, his crewmates patting him on the back and mocking his loss as he passes by. He waves them off and bee lines his way to the bar. The room is relatively wide and open, a large, shiny wooden bar stretches across, behind it is a wall decorated with dozens of bottles of booze that they've collected over their many adventures. He walks behind the bar and grabs a clear bottle of sake from the wall before grabbing a short, glass cup. He pops the cork with a crisp sound, and pours the cup to the brim. He walks around the bar and goes to sit in a tall stool on the opposite side, sipping on his harsh liquor while attempting to shoo off any recollection of that thought he had about Luffy during their game. 

____

_"But seriously, what WAS that though? No. Stop it, it doesn't matter. It was a perverted thought and there's nothing to be gained by analyzing it. It was just human instincts funded by hormones. You saw a hot guy on his knees and it excited- wait... hot? What the fuck, Law, now he's hot?"_

____

He pushes his glass against his lips and chugs at his drink, the alcohol burns his throat on the way down as he attempts to drown out his racing mind. These thoughts are entirely too bothersome to cope with sober.

____

Just then, the bar door swings open, proclaimed with a loud "Torao! There you are!" Luffy stands in the doorway, beaming like the afternoon sun itself. "That game was so much fun! We should play again soon!" He invites himself to the stool next to Law and sits down, propping an elbow on the bar to support his smiling face while staring at him. Law avoids eye contact at all costs.

____

You know I won, right?" He swivels the remaining clear liquid in his glass, watching it splash against the side of the cup while attempting to muffle any thoughts about Luffy that may arise. 

____

Luffy moans a contemplative sound before arguing "but you didn't slap me, so the game didn't end. I thought that was the rule." He watches Law studying his glass, his eyes glance over the letters tattooed on his fingers. "Why didn't you slap me?" 

____

Law let out a sigh, and swallows the rest of his sake. The alcohol has successfully calmed his nerves enough to let him look at the boy. "I didn't wanna send my patient back to the infirmary." He flashes a sly smile towards Luffy, prompting the boy to chuckle. 

____

Once Luffy's laughter died down, he grabbed Law's hand and says "Next time, you better slap me really hard" he yanks Law's hand towards his face, forcing him to lightly hit him. Luffy holds his hand against his face for a moment, staring deep into Law's eyes. "I want you to make me scream." 

____

Law's stomach flips and twists itself. Luffy just has to acknowledge the innuendo he just said. But maybe not, he does seem pretty oblivious when it comes to anything like that. "Okay, Luffy-ya. I'll make you fucking scream." 

____

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 3 song recommendation: ATEEZ - Pirate King (Overload remix)  
> https://youtu.be/pWxxo5PzOYg (best enjoyed during fight scene?
> 
> I finally learned how to italicized words 😁
> 
> Sister's stupid commentary ☆DELUXE EDITION☆ (she had a lot of stupid shit to say this chapter  
> •I feel like the strike fight was Law's way of poofing his feathers like birds do when they wanna fuck  
> •Law rlly woke up and chose gay  
> •Luffy grabbing that wooden box: "This bitch empty. YEET"  
> •Luffy: "I want you to make me scream"  
> Law: HE'S TRYNA FUCK ME  
> *que tiktok audio


	4. The Things He Finds

The weight of his recent discovery is much too bothersome for Law. He doesn't have the time, or mental real estate for something so inconvenient and obscured to be on the forefront of his thoughts. Especially _now_ of all times, the ship will be landing on their next island soon and he needs to stay focused as they draw near marine territory. Staying sharp is damn near impossible with his current state of mind. This recent development is nothing short of a hindrance and he simply doesn't have room in his agenda to deal with it. 

Trafalgar Law: the infamous, cruel, vicious, coldhearted Surgeon of Death... has a crush. 

_"What an absolute joke. He's only been on the ship for a couple weeks. There's nothing about him to be infatuated with. He's selfish, loud, oblivious, obnoxious, simple-minded, I shouldn't be feeling this way."_ He sits at the desk in his bedroom with a pen in hand and the local news in front of him, growing increasingly angered with himself. His attempts at productivity fall flat as his feelings for Luffy become harder to ignore, a disturbingly common habit he's acquired since the young captain has declared refuge on the Polar Tang. _"This is fucking bullshit."_ Law chucks the pen onto the desk in front of him, watching it as it bounces off of the edge and retreats under his bed. He tosses his hands in the air out of frustration before standing up to seek it out. He falls to his hands and knees to retrieve it, "where the fuc-... god fuckin damn it-... stupid fuckin-... bullshit- where the FUCK did that fucking piece of shit pen go!!" He growls out with immense irritation, his fists grab at his hair as he lets out a small scream. He knows he shouldn't be this pissed about one measly pen disappearing, he knows his anger isn't about the pen at all. He knows he's just lashing out because he feels out of control of his emotions and can't keep track of his thoughts, but _fuck_ it would be nice if he could keep track of something as simple as a fucking pen. 

He stands up and swings his bedroom door open and storms to the nearest gathering of crewmates, ready to unleash his misplaced rage at anything that gets in his way of the seemingly life-or-death situation at hand. "Someone give me a god damn pen before I loose my _FUCKING_ mind." His golden eyes dart around the room, half seeking a pen, half seeking something to slice up to unleash his boiling anger. 

The group of pirates hastily scour their pockets and nearby surfaces to fulfill their captain's demand, his fury didn't go unnoticed. "Here man, I have one. " Penguin reaches out his arm, "Why are you so-" 

"Shut the fuck up" Law interrupts him as he snatches the pen out of his hand and walks out of the room. Lo and behold, attaining another pen did nothing to sooth his irritability. Instead of returning to his bedroom to fail yet again at scheming his next move in the Grand Line, he makes his way to the bar. He pours himself a tall drink of dark liquor and takes several gulps, theorizing that the alcohol will level him out. His face twists at the taste, but he feels an instant relief. As he drops the now half empty cup of booze to the wooden bar, he looks up to notice several of his mates playing a game of poker, watching him with blank expressions, Luffy sitting among them. "What?" He barks out, daring them to make any sort of sly comment. 

Luffy is the only one brave enough to vocalize what everyone is thinking "Are you okay?" He questions, a sprinkle of worry sneaks its way into his tone. 

"Fucking peachy, why?" He takes another large gulp from his drink. 

"Well... it's only 10:30 in the morning." The boy points out . 

"Sounds like a good time to drink." He grabs his drink and immediately exits the room. Luffy is the _last_ person he wants to be around right now. Its his fucking fault he's acting out like this is the first place. 

*** 

A couple hours have passed and the alcohol Law consumed has supplied him with a hefty buzz, more of a buzz than Law was anticipating. He lays out on the deck in an attempt to sober up, or maybe fall asleep, whichever happens first. He watches as the waves slosh against the yellow walls of the submarine, nausea creeps into the back of his throat at the motions. "Law!" a sing songy voice cries out towards him 

"For God's sakes, what!?" He bellows back, turning his head to see a familiar, slender figure dressed in blue shorts and a red vest walking his direction. His stomach grows more upset and the irritability he drank away slowly surfaces again. 

Luffy stops in his tracks a few feet away from Law, but still close enough for the surgeon to notice the smile drop off the boy's face. "Um- it's lunchtime." 

Law looks him up and down, eyes gently squinted as if Luffy just insulted him. "Okay...?" He meant to reply monotony, but instead replied in a questioning manner, like he doesn't understand why Luffy would waste his time relaying such an obscured piece of information to him. He turns his head back towards the sea, signaling the end of the conversation. 

Luffy stares at Law, trying to digest the confusing exchange. "Oh...kay." he stood there for a moment before hesitantly turning around and heading for the kitchen. He was expecting Law to come eat with him as per usual, so he wasn't prepared for Law to be acting so cold towards him directly. It wasn't out of character for the doctor to be distant towards other people, but not Luffy. He walks away feeling rejected. 

Once the sound of the Straw Hat's sandals slapping the ground fades into the distance, he closes his eyes and allows his buzz to swarm him. Instead, he's met with a feeling of shame for acting so standoffish towards Luffy. But he feels he has no other choice, he needs distance from that boy if he wants to rid himself of these vile feelings he currently possesses. Speaking of vile, his stomach knots up again as he feels the nausea return. _"Maybe getting drunk on an empty stomach wasn't the best idea."_

Law groans as he sits up, the sudden change of position makes his head spin. He carries himself to the kitchen and hopes to avoid interacting with anyone, or with a little rubber _someone_ in particular. He shuffles into the room unnoticed and grabs a small plate of food. Just as he thinks he's in the clear- 

"Traffy! Come sit with me!" Luffy cheerfully calls at him from a table over, as if their previous interaction that occurred only moments ago disappeared from his mind. 

_Fuck._ He quickly thinks of an excuse to leave the room. "I- uh-... no." He continues to make his way out the door and disappears into the hallway. _"Smooth, Trafalgar. Real smooth."_ He mocks himself. 

This whole dance of Law ignoring Luffy only makes the young captain want his attention even more. A disapproving look smothered Luffy's face, but he returned his thoughts back to his lunch. _"Food first, figuring out what crawled up Law's ass later."_

Law walks into the bar for the second time today and sets his plate down, searching the room for judging eyes before filling another glass full of booze. He settles into a bar stool and stares at the meal in front of him, convincing himself to take a bite to settle his stomach. He takes small sips from his drink instead as his thoughts slither their way into forbidden territory again. _"There's no way this will end up working out well in the end. Worst case scenario: he figures out I like him and he kills me in my sleep. Or maybe he'll never find out and I'll drive myself crazy trying to suppress these feelings. Best case scenario is he likes me back, and I'll have to spend the rest of my life worrying about his safety. I'll have to constantly be compromising to make him happy, it'll have to keep track of his chaotic ass. Even the best case sounds pretty bad."_

Before he knows it, the last drops of liquid in his cup has made its way down his throat. He finally decides to take a bite of the food that's been staring at him for the past 20 minutes right as the bar door swings open, and in comes the previous group of pirates to return back to their game. "Oy, look who's back again!" Shachi calls out, giving Law a firm slap on the back. 

Luffy trails in behind Shachi, his heart faintly clenched at the sight of Law sitting back at the bar, his empty cup indicating he's consumed even more alcohol. Seeing Law acting so bizarre makes him feel uneasy. "Wanna join in on a game?" He sheepishly asks, hoping to snap Law out of this mood he's in. 

"Nah I was just leaving." He reaches over the bar to grab a bottle of beer, collects his plate full of untouched food and exits the room without even looking at the Straw Hat captain. He breathes a sigh of relief when the door closes behind him. Being in the same room as Luffy makes him feel smothered, like his heart suddenly forgets how to hold a rhythm. He stumbles down the hall to dispose of his plate in the kitchen and wanders around the halls aimlessly, beer in hand. Too drunk to be productive, too restless to sit down. An acute case of vertigo hits his head, that last drink finally made its way into his bloodstream. He leans against the wall, suddenly regretting his chosen coping skill for dealing with his predicament. 

"Torao!" A faint voice cries off in the distance. Law whips his head around to see Luffy walking towards him, one hand waving in the air trying to capture his attention. _"Shit why is he so insistent today?"_ The growing sound of Luffy closing the distance between them prompts Law to turn in the opposite direction, turning a corner and rushes down a long hall to dip into his room, closing the door behind him. He quickly finds the nearest seat to crash in before his spinning head makes him fall over. 

Luffy furrows his eyebrows and a frown draws across his face, he's not gonna give up so easily. Luffy can be described as many things, but relentless has to be at the top of that list. The young pirate storms into Law's bedroom and pushes the door open, exposing the sight of Law sitting at his desk, rubbing his face with his hands in exhaustion. "What are you doing?" Luffy grumbles out. 

"Wha does it look like? I'm- I'm bout to do some work." Law cringes at how much he slurred his words, and wonders if he looks as drunk as he sounds. 

"Cut the shit, I know you just came in here to avoid me and drink." He eyes up the bottle sitting on his desk. 

"I dunno what you mean." he lies, opening a nearby book to make his lie more convincing, despite the booze giving him double vision and disabling any reading abilities he once had. 

Luffy throws his hands in the air with exasperation and huffs "I did nothing wrong, you have no reason to be mad at me or avoid me or whatever the hell is going on!" He grows more and more upset about the desertion Law has been directing his way, and quite frankly, is sick of it. 

Law begins to reevaluate his behavior after seeing the distress it's causing him. All he wanted was a little distance, he didn't mean to upset the poor boy. "I'm just exhausted. I haven't been sleeping much recently." Which is true, he hasn't. He hasn't had a good rest since that one morning he and Luffy napped in his bed together. 

Luffy softens his composure a little and closes the bedroom door before walking over to the big bed, sitting at the foot of it. "So why are you drinking so much today?" 

The doctor stares blankly as he attempts to find a believable reason, he's surely not going to admit to the _real_ reason why he's been drinking. Trying to string together a thought while intoxicated is a mission in its own, though. "You didn't do anything wrong." He murmurs out 

"That doesn't answer my question." He shakes his head in distaste at Law's current state of sobriety. "When you're ready to stop being so moody and sober up, come find me so we can talk about whatever the fuck is going on like reasonable adults." He looks at Law, awaiting some sort of sign that he actually digested what he said. 

It must be a pretty bad day for Law when Luffy is the mature one in the situation. He tries to think of something to say, he contemplates arguing that he's not moody but that's clearly a dying battle. 

He looks up towards Luffy, and actually makes eye contact with him for the first time all day. The boy looks upset, worried, and angered all at once. But even with his tough exterior, the sight of him makes Law feel sober. He wants to go sit next to Luffy, to hold his hand and feel his heat against his skin again. His entire body aches at the thought of Luffy melting into his arms. More than any of that though, he wants Luffy to forgive him for being a jackass as he wrestles with his thoughts, it's not his fault he feels like this and he doesn't deserve to be at blame. "I'm sorry." Is the only sentence he could assemble. 

Luffy breathes out heavily as he looks back at Law, noting the other captains heavy eyelids and glossy eyes. He goes to stand up, but reaches down and extends his arm towards the floor before doing so. He walks over to Law's desk, and places a soft hand onto his shoulder. He still hasn't deciphered what's going on in Law's head, but it doesn't matter. He's happy he was finally able to get close enough to touch him. He just wants to be there for him until he's ready to return back to his usual self. He runs his hand down Laws bicep, over the bend in his elbow, across his forearm, and places both his hands into Law's and exchanges an unidentified item into his palm. The touch makes Law's stomach feel like it's going to fly out of his body. Then, Luffy turns around and exits the room without saying a word.

Law keeps his eyes on him until he's no longer in sight, living in the lingering feeling of his touch. Even if it was only a brief moment, the feeling of his hands in his made him smile. Just then, he remembers that Luffy gave him something and he looks down at his hand to see Luffy found what he lost before. That damn pen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 4 song recommendation: Can't be Saved- Senses Fail  
> https://youtu.be/fqIN4kJybm8
> 
> ☆Sister's stupid commentary corner☆  
> "My man's getting toasted before I even considering waking up for the day. Dude needs to learn self care."


	5. Cacoethes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content Warning: A light sprinkling of smut ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Luffy is feeling particularly restless today. It's not in character for him to sit around with nothing to do for so long. The lack of mischief and chaos is driving him up a wall, he didn't join the pirate life just for his adventures to only be far and few in between. How can he claim to be the most free man at sea if there hasn't been anything _but sea_ around him for weeks? Not even a measly ship has passed by. Luffy sulks about the Polar Tang, feeling as if his boredom is burning holes in his brain. 

He walks into the library to see Law lounging back in his chair, feet propped up on the desk that's covered with notebooks and newspapers while reading a decrepit book, the title on its spine too faded to make out. The older captain's eyesight doesn't budge from the pages in front of him when he hears someone enter the room. Luffy walks up behind him and wraps his arms around his shoulders. "Whatcha doing?" He asks playfully, waiting for the doctor to retract under his hug, who's trapped himself in the library all day to cope with the massive headache he's acquired from yesterday's drinking. 

However, he doesn't budge from the touch. He's too focused on the scripture lying before him to even acknowledge the butterflies in his stomach that the sudden hug manifested. Law maintains the swift motion of his eyes scanning the book's contents. "Research." He mused out. 

Luffy slouches deeper into Law's back, resting his head on the older boy's shoulder and attempts to understand what could possibly be more important than curing his inescapable boredom. "Thats boring, will you come play with me?" He sheepishly asks. 

That sentence was enough to make Law pay mind to the feeling growing in his stomach, and suddenly becomes aware that Luffy's still wrapped around his body. His cheeks are colored in a soft pink hue as he replies. "Later, when I finish studying. " 

Luffy is underwhelmed with this answer, with a frown he goes to slump himself into the cushiony chair in the corner of the room near the towering bookshelves. He lets out a soft little humph, tossing his legs over one of the chair's arms. 

Law finally looks up from his book to peer at the young boy. "Now it's my turn to ask what you're doing." He raises one eyebrow as he was expecting more of a fight from the restless boy. 

"Waiting for you to finish your book!" Luffy insisted innocently. It's not like he has anything better to do than to watch Law study. Actually, he's discovered that he enjoys watching Law when dives deep into his paperwork. The studious look on his face, the way his eyes light up when he discovers something new, when he'll whisper comments under his breath. It's quite the tranquil sight. 

"I won't be done for another hour or so, Luffy-ya" 

Luffy groans with frustration and throws his head back. "Fine then I guess I'll sit here with you for another hour." He makes himself comfy in the chair, placing his straw hat on his stomach and crosses his arms across his chest. 

Law cracks a slight smile "Hour, or so." He corrects him. Normally he would already be red with frustration to have his study time interrupted, but he doesn't mind Luffy's company. Especially after the way he treated him yesterday, he feels he owes the boy some slack. 

Law returns his focus back to his book, and before he knows it he hears a soft snore rising and falling from Luffy's sleeping body. He soaks in the rare sight of Luffy being completely still and calm. Admiring the way his cheek is squished against the padding of the chair. He looks entirely too cute for his own good, there's no wonder why he's caught Law by the heart. However, he takes advantage of the quiet moment to get as much reading done as possible. 

The young pirate blinks his eyes open, and rubs them with the palm of his hands. He looks towards the desk to see Law in the same spot as where he left him. He jumps up and rushes over to him and bends over the desk. "Okay! I'm ready for your attention!" He beamed with excitement. Luffy flashes him his signature wide smile and pushes the dusty book out of Law's hands and into the table, forcing him to look up from the pages to meet his glance. 

"I already told you-" Law's gaze instantly diverts to scan Luffy's body. The way his back arches slightly over the desk... his messy, black hair... his hopeful eyes. He becomes too flustered with lust to continue casting his eyes upon the adorable boy in front of him. "I'll play with you later." He stammered out, lowering the bill of his white hat to cover the heat rising to his cheeks. 

"Come onnnnnn" Luffy droned. 

"Okay, how about this. The crew picked up on a Navy call a few days ago and heard that there was going to be a treasure transfer tonight not far from here. We plan to sneak onto the ship disguised as marines and take the bounty for ourselves. If you let me finish my work here, I'll let you tag along." Law bargained. 

Luffy jumped up in the air and pumped his fist, overjoyed to finally have an adventure to look forward to. He quickly slides over the desk and into Law's lap and wraps him up in a hug. "That's going to be so awesome! I'm so excited, thank you for inviting me! I'm gonna go eat so I have enough energy!" 

Before Law could even digest the moment, the boy was already running out of the room. He lets out a small chuckle and thinks to himself _"As if that boy needs anymore energy."_ He leans back and contemplates how adding Luffy into the equation will change tonight's course of actions. He figures he'll have to rewrite the entire plan, knowing very well that Luffy isn't the type of person to stick to a plan in the first place. Just the thought of having to manage the entire plan over again exhausts him, and considers himself too distracted to be able to absorb any more information right now. He lays his head down on the desk and decides to take a small nap before the excitement of the night begins. 

_Law finds himself in his room sitting on his bed, Luffy is standing before him, deep into reliving a story of the time he once fought a sea monster with his bare hands. His arms wave around in the air as he demonstrates the moves he performed to take down that ginormous monstrosity. Law suddenly feels overwhelmed with Luffy's passion, the way he embodies so much life and enthusiasm makes it impossible to resist him any longer._

_Law reaches out for the boy and grabs his wrist, pulling him close. Luffy breaks from his story to look at the other boy, and falls down to his knees in front of him, and nuzzles into the space between the doctors thighs. Law puts his other hand on Luffy's chin and pulls him in to close the little distance between them that's left. He hesitates for a moment before gently pressing his lips against Luffy's. His entire body is filled with energy as the taste of Luffy lingers on his lips. He pulls away, only for the boy to chase him back and kiss him with as much passion as he had when explaining his pirate adventures. Luffy wraps his arms around Law and gently leans forward to push him back into the bed, laying on top of him and straddling his hips._

_As they kiss deeper, Law starts to gently thrusting his hips into Luffy's. He can feel himself growing hard at the friction. He bites Luffy's lower lip and pulls with his teeth, which triggers the younger boy to let out a gentle moan. Luffy starts to rock back and forth in sync with Law as he thrusts, and leans forward to kiss Law's neck. The kissing turns into sucking, which turns into biting. Law grunts at the pleasurable pain, feeling like he might rip out of his jeans. He reaches down to undo the button restricting his bulge from freedom, only to find that Luffy is already working on undoing them. He closes his eyes and smiles and "Are we gonna do this?" He groans out._

_Law feels Luffy chuckle into his neck, the feeling of his breath against his warm skin sends shivers across his body. Suddenly, he opens his eyes to see that they're now in the library._

_No, wait..._

Hold up. 

Law looks around the room to see himself in the library alone, his book still open on the table and Luffy nowhere to be found. "What the fuck?" he questions to himself softy. 

He sits up from the desk and places his sweaty face into his hands, feeling his burning cheeks radiate into his palms. "Oh my god."He's already been struggling to deal with this seemingly innocent crush he has, but he didn't realize the severity of the situation. He's incredibly displeased with this newly discovered layer of his feelings, and he's _especially_ displeased with the situation going on in his pants. To put it bluntly, the man is horny as hell and is rocking just as hard of a boner in real life as he was in his dream. He glances out the circular window, the sky has already grown dark. He rolls his eyes at the fact he just wasted an unspecified amount of time dreaming about dry humping Luffy. He stands up and adjusts his pants, tucking himself into the waistband of his jeans to remain incognito. He's already embarrassed with himself, he might just die if one of his crewmates points out the physical evidence of the dream he just had. 

Law walks into the kitchen and notices most of his crew is here. _"I must have slept until dinner."_. He grabs himself a plate of food and scans the room for Luffy, wanting to keep a safe distance from him until the dream fades from his consciousness. He spots the boy sitting at a table near the front of the room, laughing loudly with Penguin and Shachi. Law decides to sit down at the end of a long picnic table at the opposite side of the room, vacant from any other pirates. 

He closes his eyes as he digs into his food, images from his dream keep popping into his brain and rewiring the blood in his body to flood back into his groin. He shakes his head in hopes it'll shake out those thoughts, but to no avail. The feeling of the way Luffy's small, warm body caved into his is a hard one to forget. He diverts his train of thought by thinking of the logistics of what he'll do with the treasure they recover tonight. Supposedly a rare, incredibly expensive diamond will be on that marine ship, but he won't be sharing that information with the crew until after he has it in his hands. He'd rather surprise them if he finds it, than disappoint them if he doesn't. Suddenly, he remembered that he invited Luffy to come with. He audibly groans at his mistake and wonders if he can somehow convince him to stay behind. _"There's no way in hell. He was so excited to finally have something to do. I shouldn't rip that opportunity from him anyway just because I'm a fucking pervert."_

Just then, a massive plate of food slams down on the table in front of him, he looks up to see Luffy bearing his wide smile. "Hey why are you eating all alone?" He sits down at the spot across the table from Law. 

Law looks up at the boy, and all the forbidden thoughts swarm him all over again. _"He'd look so fucking precious with his clothes off. I bet his devil fruit would make it so easy to slip inside him. I need to feel him ride it or I might literally go insane."_ These foreign feelings are overwhelming and making the heat in his body rise beyond comprehension. "I'm not staying long, actually I should probably go and get ready for tonight." Law stands up and rushes out of the dining hall without saying goodbye, before he does something really amorous. 

Luffy sat there blinking at the spot that was once occupied by Law. Unsure if Law is actually busy, or if he's still on the same bullshit he was doing yesterday. Luffy's been accustomed to the people around him being transparent with their feelings and thoughts, no matter what. But Law... he's constantly pulling Luffy close and then letting him go, he's growing tired of going around and around in this silly game of his. He decides it's not worth the time to contemplate since the older pirate won't be able to avoid him on the heist tonight. Beyond that, he's thrilled to finally be able to work alongside Law and impress him with how tactical and useful he can be. He pours his entire plate of food into his stomach, swallowing it in one gulp. "Okay guess I'm ready to go get ready too!" He announces out loud with a smile to no one in particular, before rushing over to the other pirates who'll be joining him on the heist tonight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 5 song recommendation: Ride it - Regard (Jonas Blue Remix)  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yinx_fNiT_c
> 
> ☆ Sister's stupid commentary corner ☆  
> Law really do be having a full on thirst. Reminds me of this one scene from Spongebob:  
> 


	6. The Heist

The heist team, consisting of Law, Luffy, Penguin, Shachi, and Bepo rendezvous at the front of the submarine deck at 9pm. The suspense is high and excitement is fueling the men as they discuss the roles each person will perform tonight. Bepo will be the one on the getaway boat, a miniature version of the Polar Tang. Shachi will scour the Navy ship to plot their escape route. Law is the head of the plan, and will be the one who will retrieve the loot while disguised as the captain of the foreign Navy ship. Law coins the idea that Penguin will dress as a new recruit and be at his side for backup. While Luffy teams up with Shachi and will be responsible for subduing the foreign captain. 

Penguin chimes in, "Actually Boss, my fighting style works best while on the offensive, plus Shachi and I always work as a team. Why doesn't Luffy be the recruit?" He swings a small, black backpack over his shoulder. 

Penguin's suggestion sent a bolt of energy straight through Luffy. "Yeah! I wanna be right in the middle of the action anyway!" His face lit up at the thought of being able to scheme and fight alongside Law. 

"No-" Law barks impulsively. Before he could explain his reasoning, which is exclusively grounded in the fact that his impulse control is starting to fail him as his libido rises, Luffy interrupts. 

"I'm a close range fighter anyway. And I wanna be there if anything goes down." 

"Then it's settled, we have our teams." Shachi concludes the huddle up before Law could protest any further. 

Law panics at the thought of being alone with the Straw Hat all night. His mind is still stained with that dream from earlier, despite his strenuous efforts to forget it. However, his first duty is to be the captain of the Heart Pirates, and no amount of sexual frustration will make him divert from the most resourceful course of action. At least, that's what he hopes anyway... 

They get the signal from a fellow crew member that the Navy ship harboring the treasure is within view, and the team descends onto the small breakout submarine that's just barely big enough for the five of them. Bepo submerges the vessel underwater and heads towards their next adventure. 

Law and Luffy sit next to each other, thighs and shoulders touching. The smaller captain is damn near shaking with excitement. "We're gonna kick so much ass, Torao!" He leaned in close to Law, close enough for the black hair poking out from his hat to tickle his nose. 

The doctor glances at him "No, there will be no ass kicking. We're going to sneak onto the ship quietly and leave without drawing any attention to ourselves. Got it?" 

Luffy pauses and contemplates for a moment. "Nah, we're gonna kick some ass." He says with a small wiggle and a satisfied smile. 

Much to his dismay, Law finds his enthusiasm charming, and the way he smiles at the thought of fighting is absolutely adorable. He takes mental note of the fact that Luffy is introducing himself to be more and more his 'type'. Adventurous, adorable, strong, independent, and harbors a healthy thirst for violence. At least this crush is starting to make sense. "If you ruin this for me, I'll fucking kill you." He warns in a warm, yet stern tone. 

"You couldn't kill me even if you wanted to." Luffy teases back, looking Law up and down with a sultry glance and a wink that sends chills up the entirety of Law's spine. 

Law replies with a small hum and tries to settle his nerves. The events of tonight have a hundred different ways it could go wrong, and Law being the analytical type, he contemplated all of them. Most of these reasons, however, are due to Law's inability to fully devote himself to the task at hand. Luffy has a devious way of derailing his thought process, even just a simple glance is enough to make his mind turn to mush. And God forbid if he starts thinking about that damn dream he had. The only thing worse than getting caught by the Navy is getting caught while rocking a boner... how embarrassing.

The submarine has now arrived at the pair of large battleships, which are far larger than they appeared in the distance. The Navy wouldn't have summoned such large ships if the loot didn't match this level of security. The exhilaration pumps through the team's veins and smiles break across their faces as the small submarine rises to the top of the sea. The 4 men bid their farewell to Bepo as they shimmy their ways up the large chain connected to the anchor on the larger ship one by one. 

They successfully make it onto the ship without notice, and sneak their way around until they find a closet full of various coats and uniforms. 

Law swifty strips off his dark blue hoodie lined with a black fur. Luffy can't help but to stare, as he slowly unbuttons his own red vest. His dark, wide eyes trace the tattoos on the others shoulders, to the ink on his chest that's pointing down to his abs. It's hard _not_ to admire such an exquisite sight. The man is a piece of fucking art. 

Law shoves his sweater into the backpack Penguin brought aboard and looks up, noticing that the younger boy is staring at him with hawkeyes. Luffy doesn't smile back though, he's far too enthralled with the way his muscles ripple under his tattoos to even notice Law has caught him staring. A fact that's absolutely delighting Law. He extends his hand towards Luffy. "Your shirt?" 

Luffy snaps back to reality and suddenly is swarmed with embarrassment, the bright red on his face matching the color of his shirt. He strips off his vest from his torso and hands it over to Law, looking down at his feet to avoid eye contact. 

Law can't help but to smile at his display, studying how cute he looks when flustered. _"What's the possibility that he actually likes me too?"_. He questions silently to himself. _"Improbable."_ And just like that, he shut the thought down.

Luffy unbuttons his shorts and drops them to the ground, despite how Law's gaze is still fixed on him. The younger boy exposes his thighs, covered in a black boxer briefs that clings to his slim, muscular figure. 

This action caught Law completely off guard. The sight of Luffy stripped to his underwear makes his head spin with lust and panic, while simultaneously forcing blood to rush back to his... ahem... head. _"Fuck, shit, fuck. No, not here. This is absolutely not the place to pop a fucking boner."_. He internally yells at his dick for betraying him. He has no business being this horny tonight, or any night. But _especially_ tonight. 

Law quickly turns around and grabs a black button up shirt and dresses himself in it, before throwing a captain's cloak over his shoulders. He silently bargains with himself that if he makes it through tonight without his dick popping up to say hello, he'll treat himself to a _very_ pleasurable shower later. Luffy grabs a white Navy recruit uniform and throws it on himself too. Both boys too flustered to look at another. 

"Alright men, are we all ready to head out?" Shachi whispers, dressed in a white sailors uniform. Law seemingly forgot that the other 2 men were with him. Fuck Luffy and his ability to make the world around him disappear without even trying. 

The 4 men give each other an approving nod, and break up into their groups before heading off to their respective positions. 

Law makes his way down the dark, deserted hall, with Luffy staying close to his side. His breath feels strained as it moves in and out of his lungs. The tension of being alone with Luffy is enough to make all his muscles contract. Not to mention the stress of sneaking around and stealing from a huge ass Navy ship . The scenario of things going wrong swarm back into his mind. 

They turn a corner and walk into a brightly lit corridor, sprinkled with various Marines. The two pirates continue walking forward, nodding at them as they pass by. Law's anxiety starts to peak, but Luffy is nothing short of bursting with excitement. He shoots the Marines a warm smile as he stays close to Law, in which the other men extend a smile and a wave back. Law contemplates how they appear to the enemy. A stoic, stern captain and an overly enthusiastic recruit is probably a pair that's pretty convincing. 

They continue to make their way through the ship, looking for any signs that point them to where they need to go to find this elusive treasure. Just then, a slim, young man dressed in an officer uniform approaches them. 

"Hey, you two don't look familiar. Are you from the G-3 branch?" He questions with an interrogating glance. 

Law straightens out his shoulders and clasps his hands behind his back, which cues Luffy to do the same. "Is that anyway to approach a Captain, boy?" He growled towards him, staring the Marine down with vengeful eyes. 

The young officer shifts his weight on his feet and rubs at the back of his neck, suddenly becoming extremely nervous "Yes- yes you're right, Captain. My apologies, Captain. Do you need assistance finding the office, Captain?" 

"Please." Law nods, trying to suppress the smile tugging on the corners of his mouth at how easy it was to convince him. He has to admit… it's nice being in a position where you're feared.

They follow the skittish Marine to the opposite end of the ship and stop outside of a closed door. "Here it is, Captain. Captain Shu will be here to meet with you in a few short moments." The young man peers down at the watch on his wrist. "You're a tad early aren't you?" 

"Yes. The G-3 branch prides ourselves on our punctuality." Law beams, almost as if it were true. 

"Very good." He turns around and looks towards Luffy. "You're very lucky to be here to witness this, newbie. What did you do to gain the recognition of your captain so early?" His voice is sprinkled with a slight tone of jealousy as an eyebrow raises up his face. 

Before Luffy could open his mouth to answer, Law places a hand across his back and onto his shoulder. "He's a very impressive young man, very strong. Full of perseverance and resolve. It's an honor having him at my side." Although he won't admit it, every word of this statement was nothing but the truth. And as weird as it may be to him, he felt proud bragging about him like this. 

Luffy stares at Law with awe, taken by surprise by his kind words. A shy grin breaks across his face and he can't help but to admire Law in that moment. Compliments never phase him, but when they come from Law it makes him absolutely gush. He laughs to himself as he thinks that this is probably what Chopper feels whenever someone compliments him. 

The officer looked back at Law with the same expression. "Wow. I wish Captain Shu cared as much about us as you do with your recruits. We don't get any recognition around here." He kicks his feet a little before passing the two pirates a salute. "Anyway, farewell and safe travels." 

The two boys nod back at him and wait for his back to disappear behind a corner before entering the room. Just as they enter through the doorway, they hear a pair of unfamiliar voices echoing down the hall. "Right this way, Captain. Captain Shu will be on his way any minute now." 

"Fuck!" Law fumed softly, quickly pulling his den den mushi from his pocket. "Penguin!" He waits for a response. 

_"Yeah, Boss?"_. 

"Did you forget what the fuck you were supposed to be doing tonight?!" There was a long pause on the other end of the snail transponder, which Law assumed was time used for Penguin to come up with an excuse. 

_"I couldn't find him! But we found the escape route and it's right down the hall from where you guys are- we heard your grumpy ass voice. Once you're done in there, turn right and go all the way down the hall. It's the last door on the right."_. 

"The other captain that _I'm_ supposed to be disguised as is heading this way right now!" Law snaps back. 

_"Shit what are we gonna-"_. Law drops his hand to his side and furrows eyebrows before Penguin could finish his sentence, pinching the bridge of his nose with his free hand. 

Just then, Luffy barges out of the room and struts towards the 2 bodies down the hall and extends his arms, grabbing them both and pulling them forward. The two Marines let out a piercing scream. "It's time for you two to go." He growled out, dedicated to removing this problem immediately.

Law watches in disbelief, frozen with shock and unable to move. Luffy wraps his arms around the captain and the petty officer's necks several times and squeezes them like a snake who just caught its prey. Law's jaw drops, totally unprepared for their plans to go astray so rapidly, and pulls the snail back to his face. "Get the fuck out here right NOW!" He demands. Not a moment later, Shachi and Penguin appear in the doorframe. 

Law joins the other pirates outside the room and they all snap their heads towards Luffy, where they observe him strangling the two Marines down the hallway in front of them. "Get those two fucking assholes into your little hideout _immediately."_

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Law quickly runs up to Luffy, ready to give him an earful about how he knew he shouldn't have brought him with tonight. That little rubber _fuck_ has absolutely no regard for plans and this little stunt could sabotage everything. 

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As the other two disappear around the corner, the two pirates captains suddenly hear a loud trampling of feet running towards their direction. "Fucking damn it, Straw Hat!" Law drags Luffy backwards a few steps and hastily jabs his shoulder into Luffy's, pushing him into a dark, abandoned room and circle around the door frame and slamming himself against the wall. He grabs Luffy by the arm and pulls his small back against his chest, covering the Straw Hat's mouth with his other hand as Marines run towards them. Law breaks out into a small sweat as his mind races with scenarios of what happens next. Marines shout _"That scream came from this way!"_ in the closing distance. Luffy can feel Law's heart beating rapidly against him, his wide eyes glued to the door, waiting for the angry mob to bust through. 

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The footsteps grow louder and louder, each step reverberates in their ears. Every muscle in both their bodies prepared to fight for their lives. Until suddenly, the stampede passes them and echos into the distance. The sound disappears until there's nothing left but the silence ringing in the air. The breath of air trapped in the back of Law's throat finally escapes for what feels like the first time in forever. He looks down at Luffy, whose mouth is still covered with his hand, his warm breath tickling his fingers. The young boy's eyes are still piercing towards the door. 

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"Luffy!" He hisses, using his hand covering his mouth to shift Luffy's head so he meets his gaze "I told you to not do anything unless I tell you to!" 

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Luffy looks up at him, eyes glazed with adrenaline, excitement, and a touch of regret for not following the plan. Law wanted to be furious with him, he wanted to cut him with a sharp tongue. But just as his anger emerged, it suddenly evaporated and transformed into a new feeling. The look Luffy is passing at him is so captivating, the way his small body is pressed against his, the thrill of almost getting caught, of being stuck in a dark room alone together, heart rates pumping against each other. This moment is far better than any dream we could possibly create. It's too good of a moment to pass up. The mixture of adrenaline and lust is making his heart race faster than ever before. The hand covering the smaller boy's mouth shifts over to caressing his cheek, and Law stares at him a deep, meaningful look. One that couldn't be misinterpreted as anything but a look of longing and desire. 

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The way Law was holding him, the way he was looking at him made Luffy completely melt in his strong arms. His heart pumping violently against his chest. And just like that, it all suddenly made sense. Why he loved being around Law so much, why he stares at him, why he wants to constantly cling to his side, and try to impress him. He never noticed it before, he's never felt like this for someone in his entire life. But right here, in this exact moment, he finally understands what he wants. And he wants Law to kiss him with such passion and hunger it shifts the tides of the ocean and rocks the entire fucking Grand Line. _"Does he feel this too?"_

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Law feels it. He fucking feels it. Maybe it was the adrenaline surging through his body, but out of nowhere he has all the confidence he needs to finally make a move. If he's been waiting for the perfect moment to finally reach out and grab what he's been trying to hide from, then now is that time. Taking the hand that's gently caressing his cheek, Law runs his thumb across Luffy's lower lip, gently dragging it down before resting his fingers on his chin and tilting it up towards him. He's never wanted anything as desperately as he wants to feel Luffy's soft lips against his, every nerve in his body aching for a taste. 

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Law slowly inches his face towards Luffy's. Drawing their lips near like they're two opposite ends of a magnet, destined to come together as one. Luffy feels Law's warm breath dance against his lips. He inadvertently closes his eyes, allowing to be fully engulfed in this feeling. Just as Law is only centimeters away- 

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"Where the hell is that fucking Branch Commander?!" A low voice grimaced.

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Both boys damn near jump out of their skin, all warm feelings wash away and leave them staring at each other in an awkward silence. Their cheeks burn into a deep red and discomfiture replaces any security they felt only a second ago.

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"We-uh. Fuck. We gotta get out there." Law stumbles through his sentence, begrudgingly removing his hands from Luffy and taking a step back. 

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Luffy nervously swallows before nodding his head. "Um, should I come with? Or wait here? Or go meet with the others?" He plays with the hair by his ear, suddenly feeling insecure with the space he's occupying. 

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Law takes a moment to stabilize his feelings, trying to jump onto a train a thought but his mind is totally blank. The treasure, the entire heist, the whole fucking world around him completely disappeared in that short, fleeting moment. "Just- just stay here and I'll come get you when it's time to leave." He straightens his jacket before walking out of the room and approaches Captain Shu. 

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Luffy watches as the other walks out of the room, and goes to sit on a bench near the window and stares out at the night sky. He attempts to make his breathing as quiet as possible so he can eavesdrop on the exchange between the two captains in the room at the end of the hall. Although their conversation is muffled, he doesn't hear any tension or suspicion in Captain Shu's voice. Throughout the entire night, Luffy didn't have the slightest trace of nervousness, but now he is beyond anxious to get off this ship and back home to the Polar Tang. Nervousness is a feeling unfamiliar to Luffy, and is making him wildly uncomfortable. 

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After a few short moments, Law returns back to the room with a significantly sized canvas bag slung over his shoulder. He walks over to Luffy, his skin glows in the cool blue moonlight, his golden eyes appear much brighter than usual. "It's time to go." He whispers in a low tone. 

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Luffy follows him out of the room and down the hall to where Penguin and Shachi are. Law prays that they were able to take care of that Petty Officer and Captain in the meantime. He feels far too emotionally exhausted to deal with another unplanned event. Although he ran through dozens of different scenarios regarding how this heist could have gone, he _never_ expected it ending with him almost kissing Luffy. He wants to go back home and drink the night away with his crew to celebrate. And to suppress any insecure thoughts that will arise. And to forget about what could have happened... what could have been now that the moment is gone. 

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The two of them cautiously walk into the room, not sure what to anticipate after Luffy choked the two men out. However, what they found is definitely not what they expected. 

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"Are- are they dead?" Law looks down at the two Marines, both their faces blue and eyes glossed over. Shachi and Penguin are lounging around the large desk at the end of the small room. 

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"Yeah. Luffy strangled them to death before we even got to them." Penguin states casually as he looks through some scattered papers. 

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With wide eyes, Law looks over to Luffy. He knew Luffy was hostile, but he didn't realize he had it in him to kill so thoughtlessly. "You killed them?" 

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Luffy looks at the bodies with a hand over his mouth, stunned with his own actions. "I didn't mean to kill them! But I didn't have an option." All he wanted was to make sure Law's plans fell into place and he got what he wanted. So he neutralized any issue that got in his way. Apparently he got too ambitious. 

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The 4 men sat in silence for a brief moment, although death is a regularity as a pirate, dropping bodies was nowhere on the agenda tonight. "So should we head out or are we just gonna gawk at the corpses until we get caught?" Shachi asked in a warning matter. "Bepo is surfaced below this window and waiting for us with the landing raft." 

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And with that, Law walks over to the tall window and hoists himself up. He pushes open the giant slate of glass and sits in the windowsill, propping it open for his mates to climb through. 

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"Give me a hand, Boss!" Penguin reaches his hand up towards Law, as he's just barely too short to be able to jump up like Law did. 

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"Help yourself." Law scoffs back at him, leaving Penguin with a frown on his face. 

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Shachi kneels down and intertwines his fingers to give Penguin a boost. Penguin bitterly mutters "Asshole" towards Law as he props himself onto the window. Which earned a forceful push from Law on his back, making Penguin belly flop onto the blow up raft below. Law breaks out into a hearty chuckle at the sight. Luffy helps Shachi jump out the window next. 

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Law watches as Shachi free falls to the raft to ensure he lands safely before throwing down the large sack of treasure. It's then that Law extends out his hand towards Luffy to help him up. But the younger boy already has his arm stretched out and gripping the window, flinging himself into the empty space next to the older pirate.

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"Ah, I guess you didn't need help" he slyly says to the Straw Hat with a small smile. 

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Luffy shoots a smile back, letting out a small "shishishi" laugh at the fact he refused to help Penguin, but offered his help to him without even needing it. 

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Law leans back towards the sea and transitions into a smooth backflip, strategically landing on the raft. Luffy takes a moment to appreciate how awesome Law looked, and acts, and is, before jumping down himself. The team quickly deflate the raft and submerge back underwater to mark a successful getaway.

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Now that they are finally swimming off back to their ship, they all let out a loud cheer and exchange a round of high fives. Congratulating each other on a heist well done. They chat loudly amongst themselves about each time they thought their cover was gonna be blown. Law sits quietly, reminiscing on that moment he and Luffy shared, but quickly remembers the reason why he had the team infiltrate the battleship in the first place. 

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"Man I'm hungry again!" Luffy grabs his stomach with a loud giggle, prompting the other men and polar bear to let out a laugh themselves. 

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Law digs through the canvas bag he acquired and smiles when his hand finds the large rock he was hoping for. "Good news, men, we're going to be eating good for a while." He says as he pulls out the stone, displaying it for the team to see. It shines bright, almost as if it's absorbing all the light in the dimly lit submarine. Everyone's eyes twinkle as they stare at it before letting out a bellowing cheer and applause. 

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"Oh yeah baby we're drinking tonight!" Penguin exclaims with a fist pumping into the air. 

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Shachi and Penguin continue to rave about the heist to Bepo, who is gleaming with thrill at all the adventure they endured. The three of them take turns guessing how much the large stone is worth, and daydream on what they'll spend the money on. Law and Luffy sit next to each other, both deep in their own minds. Unbeknown to them, they're sharing the same string of thoughts.

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_"Did he feel it too? Does he even know what I wanted to do at that moment? If not, then what did that stare mean? What do I say to him? Do I bring it up or act like nothing happened?"_

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Law closes his eyes and gently rubs his thumb against the giant glimmering stone, envisioning how that same thumb was pressed against Luffy's lip only some odd minutes ago. Luffy's heart flutters when he thinks about what could have happened. 

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_"Well. I guess I'll just have to conspire a way to get close to him again."_

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**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 6 song recommendation: Falling - Rezz ft. Underoath  
> https://youtu.be/9mb9-9k0XR4
> 
> I have been so excited to write this chapter since I started this story!!! Is it even a yaoi fanfic if there isn't a "do they kiss or don't they" scene? No. The answer is no.  
> I know that Oda has mentioned that Luffy has never killed someone before, but I have a headcanon that he has accidentally killed many due to his unwavering strength and hostility, and he would definitely use the full mass of his strength if it meant helping Law achieve his goals.   
> Let me know what you're thinking about this story so far! I was feeling pretty insecure about my writing this past week, and even contemplated abandoning this story all together. Its my first fanfic ever, and I'm not a writer in the first place so I know its rough around the edges... but I love this ship and the entirety of One Piece so much that I just wanted to share my slice of heaven. Thanks for reading!
> 
> ☆Sisters stupid commentary corner☆  
> •Can't believe Luffy is just staring at law undressing all thirsty calling him fucking art and they aren't fucking  
> •Alternate response to the marine asking what Luffy did to get recognition: "I sucked his dick"   
> •Luffy was like, "Does he feel this too?" And Law was like "I fucking feels it" and I was like *screams*


	7. Never Looking Back

"Alright everyone! Gather around and grab a shot, this one goes out to our amazing captain who honored our crew today with the bounty of the year!" All the pirates grabbed a small glass before raising them towards their humbly flustered captain. In unison, everyone tilts their head back and tosses the burning liquid down their throats before returning to living up the night. There's nothing that gets these pirates more enthused and ready to party than stealing treasure, and damn did Law secure a _magnificent_ treasure. The night is warm, and upbeat music plays as the ship's deck is filled with laughter, drinking, eating, dancing and good ol fashioned comradery. 

Law soaks in the moment, making a point to cast his eyes on every single smile that's shining on their little submarine home. His crew is full of a bunch of goofy idiots, but he loves them to pieces. He's genuinely moved by how loyal and genuine his crew is. He's fought so hard to get to this point in his life. This moment has made all the pain and suffering worth it, it's led him to finding all these wonderfully authentic individuals after all. Tonight, and for tonight only, he intends to fully enjoy himself and finally let himself just _be_. No scheming, no worrying, no dwelling in his thoughts or contemplating every interaction he has... or had... with anyone, or at least one person in specific. Tonight is just for happiness. He can't help but to throw his head back and let out an uncharacteristically cheerful laugh at how he makes even enjoying himself feel like a task. 

"You're in a good mood aren't ya?" Luffy walks up behind Law and gently pushes him with his shoulder, one hand gripping a large piece of meat while the other holds onto a foaming mug. 

Law passes him a small smile and gently pushes him back. "It's a damn good night, Straw Hat-ya. Gotta live it up before it's gone." He slowly blinks his eyes as the alcohol makes his head buzz. 

"Cheers, I'll drink to that!" He chugs the rest of his beer, prompting another small chuckle out of the Heart Captain as he drinks at his own mug. Luffy takes a moment to stare at Law. That man is normally so stern and riddled with stress, it's rare to see him actually content for once. Maybe it's the booze flowing through his body, or the high of their adventure tonight, but seeing Law's eyes shine so bright makes him feel like he just found the One Piece. Luffy is absolutely loving every second of it, but he's feeling particularly greedy tonight and wants even more. 

He quickly consumes the meat in his hand with one bite and swallows it whole. "Come dance with me Torao!" He takes both their mugs and places them on a nearby table, then grabs at Law's hand and starts dragging him towards the crowd of pirates who are swinging each other around. 

Law was already being pulled away before he could register what's happening. "Hold up, I don't dance!" 

But Luffy wasn't hearing it, he simply looked over his shoulder and gave Law the most precious smile he could in hopes to persuade him. It distracted him enough for them to reach the group. "Come on it'll be fun! Just relax and follow my lead." He intertwined his fingers with Law's and started swaying energetically to the beat of the music, casually swinging their arms. 

Law is noticeably embarrassed, he's not the type of person to put himself out there like this. He's far more comfortable watching the fun from a safe distance. But here he is, holding hands and dancing with the man who has some sort of occult power to make him do whatever he wants. He wants to get angry, but Luffy looks so happy, and he doesn't want to be the one to take that away. So instead, he actually attempts to dance for the first time ever. And as it turns out, Law _doesn't_ hate it. The beer he's drunk makes his body feel light as he sways his arms around with Luffy. Dare he say that it's actually kind of fun. But he'll blame that thought on the alcohol. 

Luffy is flooded with giddy once Law gives in and starts dancing with him. If his energy levels weren't already off the charts, they definitely are now. With every step they take, he grows more and more happy and feels like they're on cloud nine. Luffy lets go of one of his hands and spins himself around under Law's arm, only to return back to him with that hand now placed on the older captain's chest. He waited for signs of Law being uncomfortable or wanting to retract, but instead he was met with a warm smile and sparkling eyes as they continued to dance. 

Law looks down at him, and thoughts of that moment they shared on the Navy ship swarm him. Although he swore he wouldn't get wrapped into his mind tonight, it's hard to resist thinking about. He was so fucking close to finally getting what he wanted, and that feeling still lingers. So for just this dance, he's going to allow his intoxicated mind to run free. If the crew is forcing him to party in lieu of taking that shower he wanted, then the least he can do is reward himself with a little unrealistic daydream... as a treat. Fantasizing about bending down to kiss his neck, hearing Luffy moan into his ear as his teeth dig into the young boy's skin. Imagining how soft his lips are, how silky his thighs are. Begging for Luffy to take his hand that's currently resting on his chest and running it down his stomach into his pants to give him the release he _so desperately_ needs. And just like that... he's already half hard. 

He lets go of Luffy and takes a step back to quickly clear his head before his mind goes to even dirtier places. It's obvious that something as innocent as dancing is far too troublesome when he's so damn frustrated. "I'm way too hot and sweaty right now. I'm gonna go take a shower, I'll be back." 

With every step Law takes backwards, Luffy steps forward. He was having so much fun spending time with Law, and he's not ready for that time to end yet. "Can I come with you?"

"What? No. I mean, what?" The question took him by complete surprise and suddenly his mind is racing. _"Does he even realize how suggestive that sounds? Does he mean it like that? Oh fuck what if he does mean it like that?"_. So much for the "no dwelling in his thoughts" aspect of tonight... 

"I wanna keep hanging out with you! We're having so much fun!" 

Law is left speechless, mouth open as he tries to think of something to say, mind racing with all the possibilities. He wants to be alone with Luffy, but not while dripping wet and naked with a libido that's making him lose his all self preservation. At least, not yet anyway. How does Luffy always know how to slither his way into the depths of Law's mind and completely scramble it up? 

"Why don't we just go get a drink at the bar instead and I can shower later?" Law doesn't want to lose this opportunity, but he knows he won't be able to control himself, he's already at the edge. Maybe after another drink, he'll have the confidence he needs to even consider getting that close to Luffy. 

"Yeah, sure!" Luffy was more than content with this answer, happy to have another opportunity to spend time with Law alone. And who knows where it'll end up? He grabs Law's hand and starts walking towards the inside of the submarine. A slight buzz from the alcohol is making him feel especially hungry for Law's touch tonight. 

*** 

Luffy sits in the tall stool at the end of the bar while Law stands behind it, placing two tall glasses in between them and drops a few ice cubes into each, before shuffling around to find the liquor he's been saving since his departure at Sabaody. He finds the decorated bottle and pops the cork open, the woodsy aroma tickles his nose almost immediately. He pours the dark brown liquid to the brims and carefully pushes a glass towards Luffy 

"What's this?" Luffy examines the drink, noting how much darker it is than the usual beer he drinks. 

"Aged whiskey, my favorite drink." He lifts the glass up to his lips and takes a slow slip, he's been waiting for the right time to finally enjoy this bottle and tonight felt like the perfect time. "I found it at Sabaody, right before we met at the auction house. It was sitting in a barrel for several decades before I confiscated it." Luffy moves his own glass to his mouth, unlike Law, he takes several giant glups, leaving the glass almost empty. 

Law lets out a small chuckle, "Woah you should take it a little slower than that, this is a lot stronger than beer." His eyes quickly shift over Luffys face, expecting to see him wince or stick his tongue out at the taste. Instead, he pulls the glass away to expose his glowing face dressed with a wide smile that could melt an entire ice cap. Law can barely tear his eyes away from him, it's impossible to not be enamored with such a glowing smile. _"God damn he's fucking precious."_

"Wow that's great!" Luffy cheerfully exclaims. He feels his throat burn and his head starts to spin. Although he can stomach impressive amounts of food without consequence, his consumption of alcohol has already started to affect him. The young boy looks up at Law to see his golden eyes staring deeply back at him and he can't quite figure out what the look on his face reads. 

"Why are you looking at me like that?" 

He doesn't reply, instead he studies the glowing soft pink that flushes his face, noticing how the color deepens the longer Law stares. He notes how Luffy's eyelids look heavier than normal, but his eyes still shine under the dimmed bar lights. The way his lips look so fucking soft and welcoming. Everything about him is absolutely irresistible. And maybe, it's finally time to surrender to his feelings. 

"Stop being so cute." Law hums out with a seductive smile, maintaining the eye contact that makes Luffy shift in his seat. 

Luffy blinks at him, reiterating the words in his mind over and over again to ensure he heard them right. But he did, he heard it right and that was all the affirmation he needed. His lips curls into a devious smile and he stares up at him from under his long eyelashes "Why? Am I too cute to take your eyes off of?" He says in a low, playful voice. 

Law leans in closer to him, until the heat of the other captain's face is radiating onto his own. "You just might be." His heart beats violently in his chest, but his mind is only focused on Luffy. Not a single thought racing, no anxiety or second-guessing. The only thing that matters is this exact second in time. 

Luffy tilts his head slightly to the side, staring at Law's lips that are parted ever so gently. "What are you gonna do about it?" 

There couldn't be a more perfect moment. The intoxicated confidence, the low lights and muted music, the playful flirting, it's all too perfect. It would be such a shame to waste such a perfect moment. It would be a shame to let their lips spend another second away from each other. 

Law slowly leans in even closer, until nothing but their anticipation could fill the space between their mouths. He's beyond craving Luffy, he _needs_ him. The older pirate hovers no more than a centimeter away from the younger boy, closes his eyes, and finally presses their lips together. His entire body sparks up like fireworks were just ignited in every single cell he has. All these weeks he's spent fantasizing, dreaming, _aching_ for Luffy and now he's finally tasting him. He kisses him again, and again. Each kiss growing deeper and begging for more. He needs more. He pulls away long enough for him to walk out from behind the bar so he can feel his body pressed against his once again. Each step felt like an entire mile. 

He walks to Luffy and places both hands on the boy's cheeks and pulls him in for another taste. Every kiss is more passionate and hungry than the last. Law gently slips his tongue into Luffy's mouth and their tongues dance together to the music of their heavy breaths. He's been desperate for this exact moment for so long and now he's finally submerged right in the middle of it. As his tongue continues to slide around Luffys, his analytical mind scrambles to find a word to describe how he feels. Exhilarated? Euphoric? Filled with pure fucking bliss? 

Luffy thrusts his hips forward and into Law's, closing what little gap was left between them. This has to be the greatest feeling on the planet. In the universe. This- this very feeling, has to be heaven. He would do anything if it meant being able to live in this moment for the rest of his life. 

Law continues to kiss harder and harder, gently pushing into Luffy until his body is against the back of his chair. He continues to lean into him, pressing their chests together as he kisses Luffy with a sense of desperate urgency. As if the only oxygen left on earth resides in Luffy's mouth and he was about to suffocate. He shifts his right hand from Luffy's face and slides it down the boy's neck, his chest, his abs, and around to the small of his back and attempts to pull him in even closer. Close isn't close enough. 

Almost as if Luffy could read Laws thoughts, he slowly leans forwards and moves his hands from being wrapped around Laws shoulders to the buttons on his red shirt, without breaking the kiss, and fights to undo them before ripping the fabric off his body. 

Law smiles against his mouth, before quickly parting his lips from Luffy, only long enough to remove his own hoodie. He grabs his face again and resumes the addictive kiss they've melted into. 

Luffy grazes his hands all over the older captain's chest. He continues to run his fingers over each muscle on Law's stomach until he hooks 2 fingers into the waistline of his dark blue jeans and swiftly unbuttons them. He decided at that moment those offensive pants need to be discarded immediately or he might actually die. 

"Oh yeah?" Law questions with a laugh, looking down at him. 

The Straw Hat smiles and violently nods his head. Luffy is a guy who knows what he wants, and he'll do anything to get it. 

He grabs Luffy by the hips, and picks him up while the young boy wraps arms around Law's shoulders and his legs around his waist. He gently parts his lips and plants a series of kisses on Luffy's mouth as he carries the boy over to the round poker table. He carefully places him on the table, and pulls his unbuttoned jeans down until they're circling his knees. Exposing his thighs dressed in a tight, black boxer, hiding the massive bulge just underneath the fabric. Law takes a moment to stare at Luffy, whose eyes are darkened by lust and pleasure. 

Luffy stares back, absorbing every single detail of this moment. He wants more, to explore the entirety of Law's body, to see how much deeper this feeling of ecstacy can take them. Law puts both his hands on the boy's knees, forcing his legs to open. He grabs his waist and pulls him to the edge of the table and presses his bulge into Luffy's groin before leaning in to kiss his neck. 

The kisses grow heavier, turning into gentle bites, until he's sucking on his skin. Luffy tilts his chin up, giving the Heart captain easier access to do as he pleases. A small moan slips from his lips and hums in Law's ear. 

The sound of Luffy's pleasure sends a surge of electricity through his body. He lifts his mouth from his neck and pushes it against Luffy's. He bites down onto the boys lower lip before slipping his tongue into the boys mouth and gliding their tongues around each other. He moves his hands from Luffy's hips and slides them to the button on his shorts, quickly undoing them and tugging at them as a sign that they too must be removed immediately. Luffy gently lifts himself enough for Law to be able to slide them down his legs, and throws them to the ground. 

Luffy pulls away slightly to catch his breath and looks up at him with pleasure dripping from his eyes and a soft smile. "So you like me back?" He questions delicately, ready for more. 

A truly heart filled laugh escapes from Law's mouth and makes him tilt his head back at how ridiculous the question was. He would have bet a pretty penny that it was painfully obvious this entire time. He gathers his composure and puts a hand on the side of Luffy's cheek. "I like you so much, Luffy-ya. It's been driving me crazy for weeks. You have no idea how long I've waited for this." He places his hands on Luffy's side before planting another quick kiss onto his lips. 

A bright smile shines from his face, brighter than any smile before. Luffy starts to slowly fall back on the table, dragging the older boy with him until his weight is lying on top of him. Each of his legs bent on each side of Law's waist. He closes his eyes and pulls him in for another deep kiss and gently thrusts his hips upwards. He'd let Law do anything to him right now, he'd give him everything, he'd give Law _all_ of him and never look back. He breaks the kiss to mention "I like you a lot too." 

Law looks down at him with a warm expression and gently caresses Luffy's cheek with the back of his hand. "Good. This would be extremely awkward otherwise." 

They both laugh and look at each other, it's as if they're seeing each other for the first time all over again. Just then, they hear a voice in the distance shouting, "Captain! Where are you? We're trying to take another group shot!" 

Law lets out an exasperated sigh and drops his forehead to Luffy's chest, disappointed that their moment has come to an end. He looks at the boy to see an equally annoyed frown plastered over his face. "I guess that's our que." He places one more kiss onto his lips before standing up and grabbing all their clothes. 

They quickly dress themselves again, and look at each other before opening the door. Down the hall, Shachi is poking his head into various rooms looking for his captain, and jumps once he lays eyes on him. "Ah there you are! I shoulda known you were in the bar." He quickly shuffles over to the two captains. 

"I hope by group shot you mean we all take turns shooting each other in the face with a gun, otherwise I'm gonna be pissed you called me out for such a bullshit reason." He grumbles at Shachi, brushing some dust off the arm of his hoodie. 

"Don't be so grumpy. Come on, hurry!" He quickly gallops in front of the two before jogging away towards the deck. 

Law and Luffy pass one more glance towards each other, before shrugging their shoulders and walking back to the group. 

But of course... not before Law could grab Luffy by his waist and give him one last kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 7 song inspiration (we have two this time!  
> What you waiting for - Gazzo (ft. Sugawhiskey)  
> https://youtu.be/BLSPHZxcV6M  
> Never looking back - Alex Sonata (ft. Roxanne Emery)  
> https://youtu.be/NH7ui70K4Do
> 
> I'm sorry it took me so long to post this chapter! I'm back in school and this semester is HEAVY with studying. Continuing forward, I probably won't be able to post as frequently, but I'll write and update whenever I have the time!  
> Ahhhhh I'm so happy we finally reached the end of the slow burn! It finally happened and I'm so excited to start building their relationship! This chapter was actually the hardest to write and took far more time than the others, but I think it turned out pretty good ^-^. Enjoy!
> 
> ☆Sister's Stupid Commentary Corner☆  
> It would be funny if after Luffy said "What are you gonna do about it?" Law just gay panics and decks him right in the face that would be the funniest shit.
> 
> So I just got to the, "So do you like me?" part and-  
> Luffy: Law do you like like me  
> Law: Luffy we've been married for 5 years
> 
> That was gay.... (girl that's the POINT. It's a YAOI.)


	8. brief update

Hi there my lovely readers! First off, I'd like to apologize for the long wait for a new chapter update. I still fully intend to come back to this story and finish it with full force! However, my schooling is CRAZY intense this semester so I haven't had time to invest into my writing. I'll be done with my program in April so when I graduate I promise to go back to updating once or twice a week! Thank you for all the kind words, support, and patience~♡


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